Expert systems in medicine: academic exercise or practical tool?

From the earliest stages of computer development, scientists have aspired to the creation of advanced systems which could simulate human thought and reasoning. Of all the modern technological quests, this research to create artificially intelligent computer systems has been one of the most ambitious and fascinating. Although attempts have been made for the last 30 years to develop and apply such systems to the medical sciences, only limited progress has been made. This paper reviews and discusses the important role of expert systems in medicine and outlines future trends in this area.